| Fantasy Fiction posted January 31, 2019 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 5... 
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Maggie's home and getting settled for the night.
A chapter in the book Renaissance of Enchantment
Chapter One, Part 4
by Y. M. Roger
| Background We left Maggie just as she had jumped inside the front door and hollered at a man she'd seen coming up the stairs after her. |
Maggie looked around one more time and was about to close the door when a familiar voice startled her.
“Ev'rysing okay, Miss Maggie?”
Mr. Dejesus. She breathed a small sigh of relief as the door latched.
“Looked like we might have some unwelcome guests, Julio.” She turned and offered a gentle smile to the old man who stood, as always, in his khaki uniform. “But we seem to have avoided their visit for the evening.”
Julio’s old eyes danced with laughter as he leaned to peek around her at the closed door, eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. A whispered chortle trundled by Maggie’s ear as she stepped around the old maintenance man toward her door down the short hallway.
“And you sen dem away, yes, Miss Maggie?”
Maggie sighed as she passed him, stopping to look up and address him directly this time. He looked so tired tonight, like he hadn’t been eating or sleeping well.
“Well, I hope so, Julio.” Her smile was open and broad as she held out the bag she’d brought from the shop. She and Addy already had some leftovers in the refrigerator, and she had the fixings for a veggie lasagna to make tomorrow morning before work. “Why don’t you take this goodie bag from the shop off my hands? Addy’s already in bed, and goodness knows I’ve been snacking at work all evening.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly true, but Julio looked like he could use the food a lot more than she could.
Mr. Dejesus’ smile was so bright it was almost unreal as he waved off the bag, never touching it.
“My tanks, Miss Maggie, but I not needin dat now.” He breezed by her and gestured a wave goodnight. “And you give dose two sinnabin tists to Addy – dey his favrit.”
Maggie sighed.
“Alright, Julio.” She was still a bit concerned for the old man. “But you get some rest, yeah?”
The old man chuckled.
“G’night, Miss Maggie. Sleep well.”
She unlocked her apartment door as quietly as possible.
“Good night, Julio,” she whispered as she turned back toward him, “and thank y–”
But the old man was already gone.
Maggie smiled as she latched the door to the familiar padding and purring of their adopted panther masquerading as a black cat. That comparison made Maggie snort to herself.
The over-sized Bongo wrapped himself round and round and in and out her legs as she made her way to the tiny kitchen – she could probably just sit down and ride him if she wanted. His purring was so loud and deep that it vibrated most of her body. And, yes, that action helped bring on the relaxation that followed a busy day.
Sigh. It was good to be home.
“Hey, there, Handsome.” She lovingly greeted the enthusiastic feline. “Thanks for watching over him for me.” She squatted down to butt foreheads with Bongo before standing to check in on Addy.
She opened the door to their only bedroom just to verify his little body slept soundly in the single bed therein. Smiling at his small face and messy black hair, she began to shut the door. Stopping her motion, she sniffed the air – she’d have to remember to ask Addy what kind of mint candy he’d found. The scent was fleeting, though, and it had undertones of another familiar spice, cloves maybe, and then it was gone.
Maggie shrugged as she closed the door. She let her long, ebony ponytail down and glanced over at Bongo who was already in his self-designated nighttime post in front of the apartment door.
Maggie smiled as she opened the bag of leftovers from the shop and dug in. She pulled out her phone to tally her tips and hours, transferring to savings what she could, doling out enough for rent and power into her payment account. Fact was, she hadn’t paid rent since the garage downstairs closed a couple of months back – no one had come around to ask for it. When she had inquired to Mr. Dejesus about the matter, he had grinned and told her not to worry about it. That it’d get sorted some time.
Maggie snorted to herself at the thought, making Bongo raise his head in concern.
“Sorted my ass. The day I spend it will be the day someone shows up to collect it, yeah?” she whispered and winked at the large cat, “Kinda like the whole karma thing.”
Bongo seemed to study her for a few moments, his head tilting from one side to the other and then forward just in the slightest, almost as if to inquire her thoughts regarding karma already having delivered its worst in her world. At least that’s what she imagined as a smile of agreement with their adopted jungle cat lit her face.
“Yeah, Handsome.” Maggie opened the classical music set on her music app and set the phone aside. She proceeded to pick up Addy’s completed schoolwork for the day and began a thorough checking of his math and the history essay he was to have finished. “I sure as hell would like to think we were due some good karma, too.”
Bongo performed his own version of a snort and raised his upper lip on one side to reveal his magnificent teeth. He then proceeded to groom before sighing and laying his head back down for the evening.
Maggie smiled at the animated animal as she, too, finally felt settled for the night. She was home and dry while it poured outside. Addy was safe. And she had the damn cat to keep her company.
“You’re right.” She sighed and nodded as a big smile pulled across her face. She winked at Bongo again. “You and Addy are my good karma, Handsome.”
Another heavy sigh and a long, low rumble of apparent agreement from Bongo as Maggie fell into her teacher role, grading the work Addy had completed today. She finished up about an hour or so later, moved to her bedcovers on the couch, and let sleep take her.
“Ev'rysing okay, Miss Maggie?”
Mr. Dejesus. She breathed a small sigh of relief as the door latched.
“Looked like we might have some unwelcome guests, Julio.” She turned and offered a gentle smile to the old man who stood, as always, in his khaki uniform. “But we seem to have avoided their visit for the evening.”
Julio’s old eyes danced with laughter as he leaned to peek around her at the closed door, eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. A whispered chortle trundled by Maggie’s ear as she stepped around the old maintenance man toward her door down the short hallway.
“And you sen dem away, yes, Miss Maggie?”
Maggie sighed as she passed him, stopping to look up and address him directly this time. He looked so tired tonight, like he hadn’t been eating or sleeping well.
“Well, I hope so, Julio.” Her smile was open and broad as she held out the bag she’d brought from the shop. She and Addy already had some leftovers in the refrigerator, and she had the fixings for a veggie lasagna to make tomorrow morning before work. “Why don’t you take this goodie bag from the shop off my hands? Addy’s already in bed, and goodness knows I’ve been snacking at work all evening.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly true, but Julio looked like he could use the food a lot more than she could.
Mr. Dejesus’ smile was so bright it was almost unreal as he waved off the bag, never touching it.
“My tanks, Miss Maggie, but I not needin dat now.” He breezed by her and gestured a wave goodnight. “And you give dose two sinnabin tists to Addy – dey his favrit.”
Maggie sighed.
“Alright, Julio.” She was still a bit concerned for the old man. “But you get some rest, yeah?”
The old man chuckled.
“G’night, Miss Maggie. Sleep well.”
She unlocked her apartment door as quietly as possible.
“Good night, Julio,” she whispered as she turned back toward him, “and thank y–”
But the old man was already gone.
Maggie smiled as she latched the door to the familiar padding and purring of their adopted panther masquerading as a black cat. That comparison made Maggie snort to herself.
The over-sized Bongo wrapped himself round and round and in and out her legs as she made her way to the tiny kitchen – she could probably just sit down and ride him if she wanted. His purring was so loud and deep that it vibrated most of her body. And, yes, that action helped bring on the relaxation that followed a busy day.
Sigh. It was good to be home.
“Hey, there, Handsome.” She lovingly greeted the enthusiastic feline. “Thanks for watching over him for me.” She squatted down to butt foreheads with Bongo before standing to check in on Addy.
She opened the door to their only bedroom just to verify his little body slept soundly in the single bed therein. Smiling at his small face and messy black hair, she began to shut the door. Stopping her motion, she sniffed the air – she’d have to remember to ask Addy what kind of mint candy he’d found. The scent was fleeting, though, and it had undertones of another familiar spice, cloves maybe, and then it was gone.
Maggie shrugged as she closed the door. She let her long, ebony ponytail down and glanced over at Bongo who was already in his self-designated nighttime post in front of the apartment door.
Maggie smiled as she opened the bag of leftovers from the shop and dug in. She pulled out her phone to tally her tips and hours, transferring to savings what she could, doling out enough for rent and power into her payment account. Fact was, she hadn’t paid rent since the garage downstairs closed a couple of months back – no one had come around to ask for it. When she had inquired to Mr. Dejesus about the matter, he had grinned and told her not to worry about it. That it’d get sorted some time.
Maggie snorted to herself at the thought, making Bongo raise his head in concern.
“Sorted my ass. The day I spend it will be the day someone shows up to collect it, yeah?” she whispered and winked at the large cat, “Kinda like the whole karma thing.”
Bongo seemed to study her for a few moments, his head tilting from one side to the other and then forward just in the slightest, almost as if to inquire her thoughts regarding karma already having delivered its worst in her world. At least that’s what she imagined as a smile of agreement with their adopted jungle cat lit her face.
“Yeah, Handsome.” Maggie opened the classical music set on her music app and set the phone aside. She proceeded to pick up Addy’s completed schoolwork for the day and began a thorough checking of his math and the history essay he was to have finished. “I sure as hell would like to think we were due some good karma, too.”
Bongo performed his own version of a snort and raised his upper lip on one side to reveal his magnificent teeth. He then proceeded to groom before sighing and laying his head back down for the evening.
Maggie smiled at the animated animal as she, too, finally felt settled for the night. She was home and dry while it poured outside. Addy was safe. And she had the damn cat to keep her company.
“You’re right.” She sighed and nodded as a big smile pulled across her face. She winked at Bongo again. “You and Addy are my good karma, Handsome.”
Another heavy sigh and a long, low rumble of apparent agreement from Bongo as Maggie fell into her teacher role, grading the work Addy had completed today. She finished up about an hour or so later, moved to her bedcovers on the couch, and let sleep take her.
 Recognized |
Sooooo, that's a good set-up for Maggie. :) :) I hope you're ready for a drastic change 'cuz next chapter opens up a whole new world... :) :) :) Stay tuned!
Maggie - Marguerite Atkinson
Addison/Addy - young man living with Maggie, being raised by her
Bongo - Maggie & Addy's large, black cat
Dorothy - Addy's mother (deceased)
'Mr. Man-bun' - male customer this night in the diner where Maggie works (not his real name)
Eduardo - waits to walk Maggie home late at night
Scully - with Eduardo to walk Maggie home
Lars - owner of the Courtside Coffee-N-Cola, the diner where Maggie works
Twilight - Great Gray Owl seen outside the diner and at Maggie's apartment
Julio Dejesus - fits role of maintenance worker/building superintendent at Maggie's apartment building
Image of '. . . brownstone at 221 West 137th Street' from Google images via Harlem Bespoke [www.harlembespoke.blogspot.com]
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Maggie - Marguerite Atkinson
Addison/Addy - young man living with Maggie, being raised by her
Bongo - Maggie & Addy's large, black cat
Dorothy - Addy's mother (deceased)
'Mr. Man-bun' - male customer this night in the diner where Maggie works (not his real name)
Eduardo - waits to walk Maggie home late at night
Scully - with Eduardo to walk Maggie home
Lars - owner of the Courtside Coffee-N-Cola, the diner where Maggie works
Twilight - Great Gray Owl seen outside the diner and at Maggie's apartment
Julio Dejesus - fits role of maintenance worker/building superintendent at Maggie's apartment building
Image of '. . . brownstone at 221 West 137th Street' from Google images via Harlem Bespoke [www.harlembespoke.blogspot.com]
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